untreated

adjective un·treat·ed \ ˌən-ˈtrē-təd \

|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Definition of untreated

: not treated

untreated wastewater

; especially : not improved or controlled medically

an untreated case of pneumonia

untreated diabetic patients

See untreated defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of untreated from the Web

If untreated, the infection can spread and cause more serious health problems, including arthritis, heart palpitations and brain inflammation.

— sumathi reddy, WSJ, "New Effort for Lyme Disease Vaccine Draws Early Fire," 9 July 2018
The disease causes a mild fever-like syndrome that can permanently compromise organ function if left untreated.

— katherine j. wu, Smithsonian, "How Tiny Trackers Could Help Humans Avoid Kissing Bugs’ Deadly Smooch," 9 July 2018
Likely due to a combination of inattention and impulsivity, ADHD adults also tend to have less overall stability in romantic relationships and higher divorce rates than others, all of which can further impact their quality of life if untreated.

— rene hernandez-cardenache, psy.d., m.s. ed., miamiherald, "A focus on distraction: A closer look at adult ADHD," 2 July 2018
If untreated, fatty liver disease can cause cirrhosis — scarring of the liver tissue — which can eventually lead to liver cancer or end-stage liver failure.

— ronald concha-parra, Philly.com, "Q&A: Am I at risk for fatty liver disease?," 23 June 2018
Staph, cellulitis, and blood clots are all potentially serious conditions that can be deadly if left untreated.

— lynsey eidell, SELF, "Blink-182's Travis Barker Is Back in the Hospital Due to Complications From Blood Clots," 20 June 2018
As the country tries to shrink its aging prison population, the inmates being released after years locked away often have mental illnesses and addictions that can land them back in prison if untreated.

— New York Times, "They’re Out of Prison. Can They Stay Out of the Hospital?," 29 May 2018
Left untreated, the impacts of the stress can remain into adulthood.

— robert higgs, cleveland.com, "Architect of Mayor Frank Jackson's anti-violence, crime efforts with youth leaving post," 25 Apr. 2018
If untreated, gonorrhea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and, in rare cases, infertility in men and women.

— linley sanders, Teen Vogue, "First Case of Super-Resistant Gonorrhea Reported," 29 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'untreated.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of untreated

15th century

in the meaning defined above

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untreated Synonyms

Phrases

in the raw, in the rough;

Medical Dictionary

untreated

adjective un·treat·ed \ -ˈtrēt-əd \

medical Definition of untreated

: not subjected to treatment

an untreated disease

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